Schumacher I M, Brown M B, Jacobson E R, Collins B R, Klein P A
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610.
J Clin Microbiol. 1993 Jun;31(6):1454-60. doi: 10.1128/jcm.31.6.1454-1460.1993.
Mycoplasma agassizii (proposed species novum) is the etiologic agent of an upper respiratory tract disease in the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), which is threatened in most of its range. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of M. agassizii-specific antibodies in desert tortoises was developed with a monoclonal antibody with specificity for desert tortoise immunoglobulin light chain. Plasma samples from one group of tortoises were tested immediately before and 1 month after challenge either with nasal exudate containing M. agassizii or with a purified preparation of M. agassizii. Plasma samples from a second group of known healthy and sick tortoises were also tested. In the first group, the ELISA detected seroconversion in individual tortoises following challenge with M. agassizii. In the second group, ELISA results were positively correlated with the health status of the tortoises, as determined by clinical and pathologic findings. In addition, the ELISA revealed that tortoise antimycoplasma antibodies were specific for M. agassizii when samples were assayed against M. agassizii, M. pulmonis, M. testudinis, and M. gallisepticum antigens. The observed direct correlation between the presence of nasal mucosal lesions and M. agassizii-specific antibodies proved that the ELISA reliably diagnosed M. agassizii infection in desert tortoises and advocates its use for monitoring M. agassizii-induced upper respiratory tract disease in free-ranging desert tortoises.
阿加西支原体（新提议的物种）是沙漠陆龟（阿加西氏陆龟）上呼吸道疾病的病原体，该物种在其大部分分布范围内都受到威胁。利用一种对沙漠陆龟免疫球蛋白轻链具有特异性的单克隆抗体，开发了一种用于检测沙漠陆龟体内阿加西支原体特异性抗体的酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）。一组陆龟的血浆样本在分别用含有阿加西支原体的鼻分泌物或阿加西支原体的纯化制剂进行攻毒之前和之后1个月立即进行检测。还对第二组已知健康和患病陆龟的血浆样本进行了检测。在第一组中，ELISA检测到在用阿加西支原体攻毒后个别陆龟出现血清转化。在第二组中，ELISA结果与陆龟的健康状况呈正相关，这是通过临床和病理检查确定的。此外，当针对阿加西支原体、肺炎支原体、龟支原体和鸡败血支原体抗原检测样本时，ELISA显示陆龟抗支原体抗体对阿加西支原体具有特异性。观察到的鼻黏膜病变与阿加西支原体特异性抗体之间的直接相关性证明，ELISA能够可靠地诊断沙漠陆龟的阿加西支原体感染，并提倡将其用于监测自由放养沙漠陆龟中由阿加西支原体引起的上呼吸道疾病。
